The true northerner. [volume] (Paw Paw, Mich.) 1855-1920, 1887-08-10
"THE GOOD OLD DAYsv HUMBUG.

1.-THE 6OOD OLD DAYS" HUMBUG.
Evidence that They wero Not What They
Are Said to Have Been.
Men 90 years old remember when
there were no steamboats,, but all travel
on the water was done by the slow,
uncertain means of sailing vessels,
when If one started for New York it
was doubtful if he would reach there
In day or a week. Now we know how
many hours and minutes it requires to
make the trip.
Men now 60 years old remember
when there were no railroads, but all
travel on land was done by stages. by
wagons, by OK teams, on horseback,
and on foot. Now network of rail
roads covers the whole country, and
several lines run from the Atlantic to
the Pacific Ocean. Now it requires
only six or seven days to cross the con-
tinent Formerly that trip required
three months.
Men 90 years old remember when
there were no photographs. but only
paintings and drawings, made at great
prices, of objects now done better IN an
instant at trihing cost.
Men of that age also remember when
no steamboat crossed the ocean, and it
was believed that they never could, but
now hundreds of steamships are plow-
ing every ocean, reducing the time OF
crossing the Atlantic from weeks to
days.
Men 45 years old remember when
there was no electro-plating, but every
thing in that line was done in the old
fashioned, slow way.
Men of that age also remember when
there were no telegraphs, but all mes
sages had to be sent by the slow-going
mails.
Men % years old remember when
there were no telephones, but all the
messages now spoken through them
had to be sent by note or special mes
senger
All these grand and useful inven-
tions have been made within the memo
ry of men now living. The Younger
generation can never appreciate them
as those do who remember the want of
them and therefore the great con-
venience they are to the world.
We often hear of "the good old days
of yore." Why deprive our children
of the enjoyment of those old days?
Why not pass law for idding steam
boats from blowing the waters, rail
roads from running land, telegraphs
from sending messages, telephones
from being used, all furnaces, steam
heaters, etc, to be taken out of houses
and other building, all CRATES for burn
ing coal to be taken out, all stoves
to be melted for old iron, all water
works in cities to be left empty, the
use of all gas and other illum-
inators, except dipped tallow candles,
to be discontinued, and really to go
back to the good old times" say for
five years. Then, if at midnight on
cold, stormy night, doctor is wanted,
he must be sent for instead of tele-
phoning for him. If one wishes to send
a message to distance, instead of tel
egraphing he must send letter and
send it by stages to distant place, and
wait patiently for days or weeks for
the answer
When one goes home on a freezing
night he can sit by a wood fire, roasting
on one de while freezing the other,
and reading by the dim light of a tai
low dip instead of the blaze of a gas
light or the more agreeable light of
kerosene If he undertakes a journey,
instead of getting into cars and going
where he wishes, the best thing he can
do is to take a stage at four times the
cost and ten times the discomfort of the
cars Let these and other modern i'm
provements be forbidden and the good
old days" be brought back, how long
would it be before an extra session of
the Legislature would be demanded to
knock the good old days" into spln-
tiers, and to restore the much better
modern days which we now enjoy, and
for which we ought to be most devout-
~ thankful bridgeport Standard.